The field of the invention pertains to protective enclosures. The invention relates more particularly to a water heater enclosure and kit capable of being easily assembled by a novice user with little or no construction experience. Assembly is simplified and facilitated due to a minimal number of parts which are formed to durably secure together without the need for separate fasteners, such as screws, and nuts and bolts.
Various types of enclosures have been developed for protecting water heaters, especially those installed outdoors. Many of these enclosure designs, however, comprise a large number of parts, and require the use of various tools for assembly. Moreover, some water heater enclosures are intended and designed to be installed by professional contractors or service technicians, and not for the do-it-yourself homeowner.
For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,146,911 an exterior water heater enclosure is shown having four sidewall components (see FIG. 3) which are secured to a top portion, a base, and each other, by means of sheet metal screws. The enclosure has a vent positioned adjacent the bottom of the sidewalls for permitting air flow, and a baffle positioned over the vent to direct air downward to the gas burner of the water heater.
While the design in the '911 patent utilizes a relatively few number of parts, it requires the use of sheet metal screws to fasten the parts together. The use of screws for construction assembly can lengthen the installation time, without significantly improving reliability, durability, and/or safety of the assembled structure. Furthermore, the use of screws for assembly purposes can be arduous and labor-intensive, and may present a considerable burden for non-professional installers. It also increases the production cost of the enclosure due to the greater number of parts involved.
Additionally, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,533,495 and 5,575,273, a balanced flue outdoor water heater is disclosed having a water tank, a jacket surrounding the water tank, a combustion chamber containing a burner adjacent the water tank, a flue extending from the combustion chamber, and an exterior shell around the jacket. The air for the combustion chamber enters above the water heater and passes downwardly around the annular space around the jacket and exterior shell.
While the outdoor water heater in the '495 and '273 patents functions to protect itself from external/environmental elements by means of the shell and the insulating jacket, the shell and jacket are designed as a single unit with the particular water tank disclosed in the aforementioned patents. Thus, the shell and jacket cannot be independently used as an enclosure to protect common water heaters already installed and currently in use.
In summary, there is a need for a simple, inexpensive, reliable, and easy-to-install water heater enclosure and kit which protects a water heater from weather and undesired elements and conditions. Furthermore, such an enclosure and kit is needed to facilitate installation for many individuals having little or no mechanical or construction experience, while leaving little room for error and without sacrificing the quality of the installation. Thus, it would be advantageous to have a simple kit having a minimal number of parts which may be assembled quickly and easily by a non-professional installer without additional fasteners and complicated tools.